


He loved her though he said nothing of it

by die_wiederkehr



Series: Gifts of Silver Light [6]
Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Elrond is a dork, F/M, First Meeting, Gen, Love at First Sight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-06
Updated: 2014-06-06
Packaged: 2018-02-03 14:16:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1747592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/die_wiederkehr/pseuds/die_wiederkehr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Elrond and Celebrían meet for the first time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	He loved her though he said nothing of it

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bgoldfish](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bgoldfish/gifts).



The first days in Imladris were peaceful and quiet, spent with her mother and father and enjoying their time together once more. After a few days though, the urge to explore everything she could have filled her. Servants were more than happy to direct her anywhere she wanted to go, helping her find her way until she eventually found one of the gardens. It was there that Celebrían spent much of her day, singing softly, picking flowers and simply enjoying how different it was from Lothlórien   
  
Elrond had seen to it that Galadriel, Celeborn and their daughter had everything they needed or wanted while here though he’d been kept much too busy since their arrival to give them a proper greeting. He’d only been able to tell Erestor and Lindir to keep them comfortable. It was with great relief that Elrond now had time for himself, finding a book he’d enjoy and walking the halls to one of his favorite places, opening the book to glance through the pages as he walked the halls.  
  
Halls that Celebrían would be walking as well, on the way to her rooms, a modest bouquet in her arms and occasionally stopping someone to hand them a flower before carrying on, humming the same song she’d sung in the gardens. She hoped that the light sweet scent of the flowers would add to the beauty of the rooms she’d been granted and also that they wouldn’t be too greatly missed by whoever tended the garden.  
  
And in those halls the two met. Elrond froze in his steps as he glanced up from his book, staring at the silver-haired woman that was walking towards him. It was rare for the Lord of Imladris to be struck speechless but she did just that and he wondered, briefly, if she realized he existed. The song she hummed reached his ears and the reverie was broken just enough that he took a breath but he couldn’t bring himself to look away.  
  
Celebrían was just tucking a flower in her hair when she stopped herself, looking to the dark-haired elf lord, ducking her head shyly and smiling. One of the servants had pointed his out to her but a day before. Quietly, she picked one of the fully bloomed flowers and set it on the page Elrond had his book open to.  
  
“Good day, my Lord.” She said softly, lifting her head to meet his gaze. He could feel his heart hammering in his chest, an anxious ache clenching at his stomach. And he knew, in that moment, all he wanted to do was see her smile. He did not know from where that desire came but he knew what it was.  
  
“Celebrían, was it not?” He asked, the words coming to him more easily than he would have thought. When she nodded, he continued. “I hope you are enjoying your visit.  Your father has been a welcome guest for some time.”  
  
He started walking along the hall again, hoping she would walk with him. And he wasn’t disappointed, the young woman turning and walking along at his side, smiling. Although he realized that she still carried her bouquet with her and stopped a servant as they walked, asking that they be taken to her rooms for her.  
  
“Thank you.” She said softly, surprised that the Lord would ask one of his servants to take care of the flowers for her. “Ah, Imladris. I am enjoying the visit. I have heard it spoken of but no words ever did it justice. And it is more lovely than I could ever have imagined.”  
  
Celebrían spoke nervously, picking at her dress. And he couldn’t help but note how delicate her hands appeared, smaller than his own and fair. But there was a fire in her, he could see that already. It didn’t burn the way it did in her parents but it was there, burning beneath the surface and woe to anyone that ever brought it out in the wrong way.  
  
He walked quietly with her, pausing eventually and looking to her. He reached out, lightly touching her wrist. “Have you been to the falls yet?”  
  
A simple question. One that she answered with a shake of her head and was followed by him gently leading her out of the house and along one of the trails. This would lead to another of his favorite places, one of the lower falls. It hadn’t been remotely near where he’d meant to go before meeting Celebrían but it was somewhere she hadn’t seen yet and one of the places that he couldn’t allow any guest of his to go without seeing. The trail was a bit long, made for the people who lived in and visited Imladris to enjoy the walk, the life around them. And so he asked her questions as they walked, got to know the daughter of Celeborn who he had great respect for. And each answer had him loving her more and more. And yet he said not a word of it for she was the daughter of Celeborn and Galadriel, two of the greatest elves in Middle Earth. How could she love him?  
  
In turn though, she asked him a question for every one he asked of her. She was relentless, even after he’d run out of questions for her, she continued to think of more for him. For he was older, he had seen more of the world than she ever could, experienced more than she could hope. And she was still asking him questions when they reached the falls, the sight of them suddenly cutting her short.  
  
He loved the look in her eyes when she first saw them up close. Elrond could have spent eternity staring or happily died right then.  
  
“It…” Celebrían struggled for a moment, finding the words, eventually settling on: “It is beautiful. Like all of Imladris.” She took a step forward, just close enough to feel the faint spray of the water and she looked, somehow, even more lovely.  
  
“You are welcome here, of course, whenever you would like.” Or anywhere in Imladris. So long as it made her smile. He could be happy, for all eternity, even if she never shared his feelings, so long as he could see her smile.


End file.
